Father who murdered baby daughter jailed for life

Thomas Holford will serve a minimum of 16 years for the murder of his daughter

A father who murdered his baby daughter through "violent shaking" when she was five weeks old has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 16 years.

Thomas Holford was convicted of the murder of Everleigh Stroud at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday, having previously admitted to manslaughter.

The 25-year-old, who had smoked multiple cannabis joints on the evening he attacked his daughter, was also found guilty of actual bodily harm.

Everleigh died aged 14 months when her life support machine was turned off a year after the attack, which had left her with severe injuries to her brain, ribs and legs.

Everleigh was rushed to QEQM Hospital in Margate on the morning of April 21, 2021

Mr Justice Michael Fordham told the court Holford had "robbed" his former partner and her family of "any type of deep happiness" for the rest of their lives.

The judge said: "Overnight on 20th to 21st of April 2021 when you were just 20 years old, you shook your five-week-old baby daughter Everleigh.

"That act of shaking caused severe and irreversible brain injuries - she died 13 months later as a result of those injuries.

"The jury were sure that at the moment of shaking Everleigh you intended to cause her really serious injury.

"Kelly Stroud has described in her statement the impacts of what you did, how your actions denied Everleigh a life, how your actions denied a lifetime of hopes and dreams to Casey, a wonderful young mum who never gave up fighting for her daughter."

He added: "Your actions robbed the Stroud family of any type of deep happiness leaving a grief on all members of the family for the rest of their lives."

Det Insp Ross Gurdon of Kent Police said: "The tragic circumstances of what happened that night, and the following series of events for the family of little Everleigh means this has been an extremely difficult time for them.

"Through the investigation, Thomas Holford has failed to tell the truth and accept responsibility for his actions.

"My thoughts and wishes remain with the victim's family and I thank them for their continued strength and support throughout the investigation."